Epicurean physics Democritean atomism:

Macroscopic change explained by combination and separation ofatoms. Universe is ultimately made up of unsplittable atoms and void. infinitely large and contains an infinite number of worlds. mechanistic, non-teleological, and (for the most part, as we willsee) governed by causal necessity.

The EpicureansPsychology

Primary functions of the soul:

consciousness transmission of impulses to the body

The soul cant survive the body for 2 reasons:

It is corporeal. The soul and the body are functionally interdependent.

The EpicureansPsychology

Corporeality of the soul:

The soul is a body [made up of] fine parts distributed throughout

the entire aggregate, and most closely resembling breath with acertain admixture of heat. (1A, 63)

4 material parts of the soul with 4 functions (1B):

Main argument for the souls corporeality (1A, 67):

1. If we want to say that the soul is incorporeal we shall have to say it ismade of void. This is because void is the only incorporeal substance.2. But if the soul is made of void, it cannot act or be acted on, becauseonly bodies have this nature.3. Thus, if the soul is to perform any of its functions, it cannot beincorporeal.

The EpicureansPsychology Main argument for the functional interdependence of the body and thesoul (1A, 64-6):1. The soul is responsible for sense perception, but it could not see if itdid not have eyes, and it could not hear if it did not have ears, etc..2. The eyes, ears, and other sense organs, in turn, share in senseperception but they could not do so without the soul.3. Thus, it makes no more sense to talk of a disembodied soul seeingthan it does to talk of a corpse seeing.4. So the activities of the soul, i.e., movement and sensation, are jointactivities of the soul and the body, and cant be carried on withoutthe body.

The EpicureansPsychology

Epicurean Theory of Sensation, Imagination & Memory (2A & 2B):

Sensation

Purpose of the theory

The senses: Vision, Hearing, & Smell

The Veracity of Sensation

Memory, Imagination, Dreams and Error

The Epicureans

Argument for the truth of all impressions (3A):

a) Either all sensations are false orb) some sensations are true and some are false, orc) all sensations are true,but the first two options are false, so the last must be true.

The EpicureansEpistemology

The criterion of truth:

So, in The Canon Epicurus is found saying that sense-perceptions, basicgrasps, and feelings, are the criteria of truth, and the Epicureans add theapplications of the intellect to presentations. (Diogenes Laertius, 4A)

The existence of justice depends on the ability to make such

Since justice derives from utility, and since utility is ephemeral

and relative to communities, then the concept of justice will vary.(9B, 36 & 37 )

The EpicureansEthics

Friendship (9C, 23; 9D, 66-7)

The gods (10A)

The EpicureansEthics

Ethics

Death:

Arguments against fearing death:

1. The only rational reason for fearing something is because it ispainful. But death is not painful because we will not exist toexperience it. Therefore, it is irrational to fear death (11A).2. A person who grieves for pleasures missed after death,imagines that he is still around to want them. But it isirrational to grieve for missing things that you dont want.(11C)

The EpicureansEthics

Ethics

Death:

Arguments against fearing death contd.:

3. It is irrational for the living to mourn the dead, since the deadare experiencing nothing bad. (11C)4. Hell is what the conscience of the guilty create for themselveshere on earth. (11D)5. We are not distressed at the thought of not existing before wewere born, so why should we worry about not existing after weare dead? (11C)

The EpicureansEthics

Ethics

Death:

Arguments against fearing death contd.:

6. What if time collected after death the matter of our framesand set it all again in place as now, and again to us the lightof life were given? In that case, the resurrected personwouldnt be you because she would have no recollection of herprevious life. (11C)7. Since time is infinite, no prolongation of your life will reducethe time that you are dead. (11E)